Haiku School of the Damned
by Alabaster86
Summary: Mai is forced to attend haiku classes. She is not happy.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I had this particular idea about Mai attending haiku classes a long time ago. It popped up in my mind again sort or randomly so I said to myself 'Why not?" I think it will consist of 2 chapters probably and it was written for my own enjoyment more than anything else.

**Haiku School of the Damned**

**_Part 1: Mother's Little Surprise_**

Mai dreaded the sound of a knock on her bedroom door. It was her one sanctuary, a place where she could fantasize and dream and throw her various blades without disdainful eyes watching. She could scribble down her thoughts in her diary, read what she wanted and let her hair down. It was Mai's only refuge and she was loathe to ever allow anyone inside.

So when a knock came one nauseatingly bright spring afternoon, and her mother's high pitched, overly cheerful sounding voice wormed its way through the wood of the door, Mai covered her head with one exceptionally plump scarlet pillow in an attempt to drown out the sound. Mai hoped that the woman would simply go away. She didn't.

There was another knock and then another and then threats of breaking the door down and replacing it with a new one, something conveniently lock free.

"Like you could," Mai whispered to herself.

"I'll get your father," the woman warned. "You know how upset he can get when you act this way, Mai. Open the door!"

Heaving a huge sigh, the fourteen year old girl crawled off her bed and sauntered slowly to the ornately carved slab of wood, keen to make her mother wait as long as possible.

"What?" she asked rudely when she finally pulled it open. "I'm busy."

Mai's mother, her name was Akira, barged her way into the bedroom and examined it carefully, looking every bit as though she expected to find something that went against all Fire Nation sense of morality.

"You're not busy. You're never busy. That's your problem. You dream about that hopeless case of a banished prince, you mope, you complain and you do nothing to make yourself available to all the wonderful young men who actually _live _here in Capitol City."

"I've heard it all before, Mother, and I'm not interested in hearing it again. I'm keeping out of your way and Father's way, just like you've always wanted. I won't say anything untoward at any of your little dinner parties and ruin Father's chances of moving up the ladder. I won't embarrass you or make you feel awkward. Just leave me alone to mope. It makes me happy." Mai frowned.

"No!" Akira crossed her arms under her considerable breasts and stared stubbornly at her daughter.

Mai raised her perfect eyebrows and mulled over her mother's sudden sense of conviction. The woman usually gave up after a minute and glided away again, off to deal with her one year old son's nanny or to consult with the cook about dinner. The young woman was almost flattered and a little bit surprised that her mother was giving her an extra bit of attention. She must be plotting something, something that would somehow benefit the family name or reputation.

"I'm bored, Mother, and I'm tired. I'm going to close the door now." She moved toward the shorter woman almost threateningly but Akira did not and would not back down.

"I've signed you up for something wonderful; haiku class." Mai's mouth opened immediatley, a string of protests ready to fly off her tongue. But Akira raised her hand and narrowed her gold eyes. She actually looked serious and determined, even a bit fierce. Mai hadn't seen her mother like that in forever. "Madam Suzumi is an expert and you are very fortunate to have a spot. All the best girls take her class. When you're finished you'll be able to write lovely haikus. Now, isn't that a great thought?" She didn't wait for Mai's reply. "Class starts tomorrow; and don't tell me that you're too busy or too tired. Ever since you finished the Academy last year, you've done absolutely nothing; that all comes to an end now. I expect to see you dressed in appropriate robes, make sure that you look your best, when you come down to breakfast tomorrow morning. You will leave after that. And I will know if you don't attend. Oh, and you had better not bring any of those terrible knives."

"Are you done now?" Mai crossed her own arms beneath her smaller breasts and rolled her eyes. "I need to paint my nails…black." Mai smirked slyly, expecting an uproar from her mother, but Akira was full of surprises. She let it go.

"Yes, I expect to see you at dinner."

Mai mustered up all the sarcasm she could. "I can't wait."

Her mother's robes had barely cleared the threshold when she slammed the door and turned the lock.

* * *

><p>As she brushed out her long black hair the next morning and pinned it up in her signature style, Mai examined herself in the vanity mirror. She had changed a lot in the two years since Prince Zuko had first been banished and she imagined that he had too. He would have more muscle, naturally and be somehow hardened by the difficulties and stresses of his new life. Some would say that Mai was hardened too. She held everyone at arm's length now, not that she had been an overly affectionate, mushy sort of person before.<p>

But when Zuko left so did the little bit of emotion she did reveal, the glimpses into her true self and that vulnerability she was willing to let the prince see. She was all closed up now, closed up tightly, only sarcasm and cynicism and the occasional biting remark allowed out where anyone could see them. That was how Mai survived her loneliness and her despair and her never ending boredom.

She stood up, still in just her wraps, and examined her body. Her breasts would never be like her friend, Ty Lee's, who at thirteen had boys drooling over her constantly. But they were a nice size, and her figure, though lean and well toned, had acquired new curves over the past few months. She couldn't help wondering if Zuko would appreciate them or even notice. He was so easily flustered around girls. It was an endearing quality and certainly beat the lecherousness of some boys hands down, but honestly, he could be so clueless.

She giggled quietly and strapped on two blades, one on her ankle and one on her upper arm. Mai didn't care what her mother said or what Madam Suzumi's rules were; she always had at least two blades on her body. And while she slept, there were always blades within easy reach. It was simply the way she did things and nobody could make her change.

Opening her wardrobe, Mai selected simple black pants, a white shirt and a burgundy tunic. After another quick look in her mirror, she left her room and headed downstairs to the dining room. Her mother and father were already there but instead of a 'Good morning' they both gave her irritated scowls.

"You're late. Don't blame me if your food is cold." Akira sniffed as though she were actually hurt by Mai's tardiness and went back to her fruit and tea.

Mai's father, Hoshi, shook his head and his scowl entrenched itself even more firmly on his face. "Mai, you know better than to arrive late for breakfast. It upsets your mother."

"But I wanted to look my best for my first haiku class. I guess that time got away from me." Her tone was sugar sweet and simpering.

Akira jerked her head up and gave Mai a dark look. "We all know that's not true, though I wish it was. Now sit down and eat. Class starts in less than an hour."

Mai sat and Mai ate and said not another word. She watched her parents through her thick eyelashes, how they ate with their impeccable table manners and talked about mundane things like table settings or the state of the back garden. It was when they spoke of their son, Tom-Tom, that their faces lit up, genuine happiness evident. Mai was certain neither had ever had that look when speaking of her, even when she was a baby.

"Tom-Tom actually said 'Momma' this morning when I checked in on him. Can you believe it; his first word already? He's such a smart boy." Akira took a sip of her tea and gazed about her perfect dining room with a pleased expression.

Hoshi reached across the table and touched his wife's hand briefly. "Hmm, that's wonderful, Akira. I'm certain that the boy will do us proud."

"I'm surprised he didn't say 'nanny'," Mai remarked in a low tone.

Hoshi heard, however, and shot his daughter a look that made her suck in her breath. "It's time for you to leave, Mai. I expect that you'll behave like a young noblewoman should while at class. Do not tarnish our family name in any way. Do you understand?"

Rather than answer, Mai stood up from her chair, dropped her napkin on the table and strode to the front door. She shut it with a resounding bang and made her way to class.

* * *

><p>Ten girls, different faces, but Mai could hardly tell them apart. They all wore the finest silk robes in the same colour and the same cut. Their hair, in its varying shades of brown, was worn the same way; partially pulled into a top knot with scarlet ribbon, the remainder falling across their shoulders and down their perfectly straight and rigid backs. All had their fingernails painted blood red, and a touch of red paint gave each of their mouths a slightly garish appearance. Tiny, delicate gold studs decorated each pair of ears and tiny silk bags dangled from each right wrist.<p>

"Figures I'm number eleven," Mai muttered as she took her seat at the back of the room. "Mother must have paid extra to have me put in this class."

It was obvious to anyone with sight that the eleventh desk and the eleventh cushion had been squeezed into the simply decorated classroom at Madam Suzumi's School for Fine Ladies.

An older man shuffled to the front of the room and called for order. Mai fiddled with her calligraphy brush, not bothering to look up. He spoke in dramatic tones as if an actor in the theatre. "My name is Kenji Tanaka and I am honoured to present to you fine young ladies your instructor, Madam Suzumi." The old man stretched his arm out and the lady in question appeared from behind a beautifully painted screen.

Mai watched all this with arched eyebrows and slightly open mouth. "For Agni's sake," she said quietly. "What a load of bull."

The girl nearest to Mai turned her head, flicked brown eyes over her condescendingly and then shushed her. Mai thrust her chin out and gave the girl the nastiest stare she could manage. Meanwhile, Madame Suzumi bowed, dismissed the random old man and began her first class with a brand new set of cloned students.

"Haiku," the pretty woman in her thirties began and then said nothing, letting the word hang over the room as if it were something profound.

Mai fought desperately to contain the snort of laughter that moved its purposeful way up her throat. All she could do was fake a cough instead. Madame Suzumi ignored it, remaining cool and composed like a good noblewoman should. The other ten girls waited eagerly for their instructor to speak again.

"Three lines, seventeen syllables; when described like that, haiku sounds clinical, ordinary. But, young ladies, those three lines can convey a surprising depth of emotion. They can pinpoint the beauty of something we see everyday like the sea or a flower and boil it down to its most basic elements. There is no excess in haiku. It says only what is needed." The teacher paused again, catching her breath and gathering her thoughts. "In fact, all of you would do well to emulate this form of poetry; say only what is necessary. Don't burden your future husbands with more than that. They will have things of greater importance on their minds."

'Since when did this become a class about wifery, noblewoman style,' Mai mused, looking out the side window rather than at her instructor. 'Mother must have known about that crap too.'

Madam Suzumi noticed Mai's lack of attention and was not pleased. "You, black haired girl staring out the window, I want your eyes on me." She moved forward a bit, closer to Mai and then tapped her foot on the floor.

Mai took her time about it, instantly cementing her position as worst student, any poetic abilities she might have notwithstanding. "Better?" she asked dully.

"You must be Mai. Your mother warned me that you might be surly and uncooperative. I guess she wasn't kidding."

"My mother never kids," Mai remarked with a pronounced eye roll. With that one sentence, she summed up Akira.

Madam Suzumi took another step forward and the remainder of the girls stared at Mai with cold, glittering eyes that looked like marbles. "Yes, well, I expect your full cooperation. Do you understand, Mai?"

Centered out, slightly embarrassed, Mai could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good," the woman stated brightly. "That's that. Let's get back to our lesson."

* * *

><p>After reciting dozens of the Fire Nation's best and most famous haikus, Madam Suzumi explained how the rest of the day and the rest of the week would go. "Each day will have a theme. And each night you will be required to compose the very best haiku that you are able to; you can write about whatever you like. I'll know if you rushed or didn't put any care into your work. I have been doing this for awhile now."<p>

A plain looking girl at the front of the class raised her hand. Suzumi nodded, giving the girl permission to speak. "What will today's theme be?" she asked eagerly.

"Suck up," Mai muttered under her breath.

"Today's theme is the sun. We all know how important it is to everyone, especially a nation of firebenders. Think about what it means to you, any memories you may have, any beautiful sites you may have seen. Smooth out your paper, open your ink pots and begin."

Mai tapped the end of the brush against her chin and observed the other girls, their brains practically smoking under the strain of all that thinking. A lover of the dark herself, and not a firebender, Mai was not particularly inspired.

Madam Suzumi walked amongst the girls, her hands behind her back, robes gliding across the smooth, polished floors. Her full lips were pulled into a tolerant little smile and her brown eyes scanned the papers, searching for greatness perhaps or just something that wouldn't make her sick.

Dipping her brush into the beautiful blackness of the ink, Mai began. She scribbled out two attempts before finally coming up with something that followed the haiku rules and fit the theme. It was far from cheery and Mai definitely did _not _care.

Clapping her hands together briskly, Madam Suzumi signaled the end of the writing period. The girls put their brushes down dutifully and waited for further instruction.

"You have fifteen minutes to stretch your legs and let the ink dry. Then you will come back inside and read your poems aloud to the class."

Mai froze.

* * *

><p>The girls all seemed to know each other and huddled together in giddy groups chattering about young men they thought were handsome or eligible, the latest fashions and any juicy gossip that was going around.<p>

Mai recognized a few of the faces, though it was difficult to tell them apart, but kept to herself. Leaning against the wall of the shaded building, she reached up her wide sleeve for her blade and pulled it out furtively. Just holding it in her hand made her feel so much better. A smile played with the corners of her thin lips and suddenly the day wasn't quite so depressing.

"I don't think Madam Suzumi would approve," one of the girls huffed as she approached Mai with caution.

Mai shrugged and slipped the blade back into place with speed and efficiency. It was as if the knife had never been in her hand. "I don't know what you're talking about." She stood up straight and walked back inside, sitting at the eleventh table, the odd girl out yet again.

"All right, come to order," Madam Suzumi admonished after the rest of the class had filed in. Mai smirked. Everyone was sitting quietly. If they were any more orderly it would be frightening. "Would one of you like to go first?"

The girls looked about shiftily but in every group, no matter where and no matter what, there was inevitably one person keen to be noticed and eager to volunteer. A short girl, who looked more like eleven than fourteen, nodded and raised her hand.

"Excellent; Misa, go ahead and read your haiku."

Clearing her throat, Misa stood, glanced about the room and began in a clear, melodious sort of voice.

_It is so pretty_

_Hanging in the sky like gold_

_Shining brightly down_

She cleared her throat again and kneeled on her cushion, awaiting judgment like some criminal at court.

"Well done, Misa, well done. You managed to convey what the sun looks like and what it does in the required amount of syllables."

Misa looked about at her competitors smugly then, clearly thrilled at teacher's approval. Mai sat through reading after reading , not raising her hand, figuring she may as well go last since she was an add on to the class anyway.

"I'm hardly surprised that your poem is our final one, Mai. Please stand up and recite your work."

It was the last thing that Mai wanted to do but really, what difference did it make? She didn't care what these perfect girls thought about her or her poem. She didn't care a thing about them and Mai was certain that the feeling was mutual. She began in an uninspired voice, lending no emotion to her words.

_Too bright, makes me squint_

_I prefer its opposite_

_Or at least the clouds_

Each and every one of the girls stared at her with open curiosity, even pity. Mai met each set of eyes head on, her gaze not wavering once.

"Well, um, that was not quite the celebration of the sun I had in mind, but you did meet the syllable requirements, so there's that. Really, Mai, try looking at the world through more cheerful lenses; you might be surprised by how good it makes you feel." Condescension dripped off the woman's tongue.

"I don't do cheerful," Mai stated matter of factly.

Madam Suzumi shook her head and turned her attention back to the rest of the girls. "Class is dismissed. Remember your assignment for tomorrow. Write one haiku, the very best one that you can, about something that you find beautiful, or something that inspires you. I'll see you back here in the morning. Well done, girls."

Her smile did not favor Mai.

* * *

><p>Once out of the classroom and walking home alone through the streets of Capitol City, Mai could breathe much more freely. And what surprised her most was the anticipation she felt. There was <em>someone <em>and there was_ something_ she wanted to write about. Haiku did have a purpose after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Haiku School of the Damned**

_**Part 2: Personal Expression**_

Akira stopped Mai before she could run upstairs to her room. "You may as well stay down here. Lunch is almost ready. And I want to know how your first class with Madam Suzumi went." She indicated the far end of the sofa she sat on and Mai joined her.

Tom-Tom played on the floor near Akira's feet but as soon as he saw Mai, he stood shakily and using the furniture for support, shuffled awkwardly down to his older sister. She gave him a glare, hoping to send him on his way, but he laughed instead and clutched onto Mai's tunic, quickly wrinkling a chubby little fistful of burgundy silk. Taking hold of his tiny hand, Mai peeled his fingers back one by one and released the imprisoned cloth. The toddler giggled and grabbed hold of it again, thinking that Mai was playing a game. "Not very smart are you?" she whispered but felt an answering smile make her own mouth twitch.

"I'm waiting," Akira reminded Mai in a demanding voice.

Mai thought for a second before she replied. She gave her brother one more look, the urge to pat him on the head or tickle his round little belly strangely overwhelming. "It couldn't have been more obvious that you enrolled me after the class was full. And it was terrible."

"Hmmph," the noblewoman grunted disapprovingly. "I should have known. But don't think you're getting out of it. Your father and I paid good money for that class and you will attend and you will learn something." Akira stood up, patted her long brown hair and unconsciously smoothed out her red robes. "I'm going to check on lunch. Watch your brother until I get back. I sent Haruka out to buy a few things."

"Why didn't she just take Tom-Tom with her?" Mai inquired. "He spends most of his time with her anyway."

Haruka was the boy's nanny, a young woman who came highly recommended.

"What are you implying? You don't approve of the way Tom-Tom is being raised. I have other things to attend to. I can't spend my entire day changing diapers and giving baths and playing on the floor. I'm a noblewoman, for Agni's sake, not a peasant." Akira's face was flushed with anger. She moved closer to Mai, bent over and picked the toddler up, giving him a hug before passing him off to her daughter. "We'll see what you do when you get married…if that ever happens," she added bitterly.

Mai felt suitably slapped in the face just as Akira had intended her to. She shrugged it off, though the remark still stung a bit. It wasn't that Mai had any desire at all to marry one of the boys that her mother thought of so highly. They held no appeal for her. She supposed that some of them were nice enough but that didn't matter. They simply were _not _Zuko. It was the fact that her mother placed a much higher value on her getting married than on anything else. Mai's happiness didn't matter. What Mai might want to do or experience didn't matter. It was all about the family name and fitting in and for Agni's sake, not rocking the boat. With a sigh, she watched as her mother walked briskly out of the sitting room.

"Be glad that you're a boy, Tom-Tom," she advised and leaned back into the couch. "_You're_ what they want. It's painfully clear that _I'm_ not and never was."

The toddler got comfortable on Mai's lap and played with her hair, twining it around his fingers and occasionally giving it a hard tug. He laughed, a sweet, innocent, joyful sound, every time that Mai gave him a scowl.

"Get my hair out of your mouth," she chastised. "That is disgusting." Tom-Tom giggled again. Mai could do nothing but shake her head. "It's a good thing you're sort of cute."

* * *

><p>Once the agony of lunch was over, Mai retreated to her room. She lay on her bed for awhile, processing the morning that was and wondering how she should spend the remainder of her day. She needed to write that stupid haiku, of course, but that wouldn't take long. It was supposed to be about something important to her. She didn't value a lot of things or many people, so her choice was limited; Zuko, her blades, her favorite spot in the garden, her uncle, the night time. Well, she would figure something out; maybe write a few simply for her own pleasure. Yes, that was a good idea.<p>

But first, Mai decided to slip out of her room, tiptoeing along the hallway and down the stairs to the back of the huge house. She exited through the back door and stepped into the gardens. It was a peaceful place; somewhere she could throw her knives without being bothered. The gardener, if he was around, simply stayed out of her way and neither her mother nor her father spent a lot of time out of doors. It was almost like another private refuge; somewhere she could sit and think or dream and practice her skills.

The solitary tree that dominated the garden was already pock marked and nicked from her blades. She ran her hand down its rough bark affectionately before beginning to throw. Mai had an established routine for practice. She threw each blade into the trunk of the tree, trying her best to keep them in a tight grouping. Once done, she pulled the knives out and started again. That she did five times, blocking out everything, every sound, every sight. It was just Mai and the knives and the tree, a trinity with the girl at its apex.

Throwing knives somehow empowered Mai. It was something she had chosen on her own and something her parents barely tolerated. And she was good at it and getting better. When combined with her natural grace and movement training, it made for a formidable skill. As of yet, she really had nowhere to use it practically. But that did nothing to lessen her love of bladed weapons. It did not diminish her desire to gain as much control over them as she could.

Knives back in their holsters, Mai found a bench and sat, enjoying the cool breeze that blew gently through the garden, making the giant leaves of the oak tree rustle soothingly. The desire to close her eyes became greater and greater the longer she sat. Eventually she gave in and dozed, her worries and fears dropping away for a brief but blissful time. It was the sound of her mother's voice that woke her up. Anger flared within Mai, white and hot, but she kept her face carefully schooled and her body still, not giving anything away.

"I couldn't find you up in your room," Akira whined. "Then I had to look through the whole house. Next time you leave, let someone know."

"The garden is part of the house; I didn't leave." Mai gave her eyes an exaggerated roll and got up from the bench. Whatever peace she had experienced had been irrevocably broken; may as well retreat into her room now.

Akira had other plans. "My dear friend, Emiko, is coming over for a quick cup of tea and I expect you to join us. It's time you learned to participate in a discussion with adult ladies. You will be doing a lot of that in the future." Mai's mother turned around and headed back toward the house. "I hope," she added quietly.

* * *

><p>As with most of her life, Mai had no choice in the matter. She followed her mother inside and helped her set out the tea things. Occasionally Akira liked to do things herself, feeling more qualified than the servants who handled day to day chores. When she had a guest, she preferred to make the tea herself and get the table ready.<p>

"Mai, take those flowers from the sitting room and put them on the table here, will you?" Akira continued to fuss, making sure that everything looked absolutely perfect.

"Here." Mai returned with the vase and placed it at the table's center, straightening a few of the fresh cut blooms.

"Good, good; let the servant open the door when Emiko rings. I certainly don't want her to think that I need to do everything myself."

"Whatever," Mai replied. She returned to the living room and slouched on the sofa, wishing that she could head up to her room instead.

The chimes rang a few minutes later and the girl felt the all too familiar unease at the thought of company. Visitors meant discussions and complaints about her behavior, her mood, her dress, her likes and dislikes and so on. There was never anything much positive said, unless the guest felt sorry for Akira and tried to see something valuable in Mai.

"_Well, at least she's a good looking girl. She can change her behavior and her attitude but an ugly girl will always be ugly." It was Emiko who had said that on her last visit. "So, Akira, there is hope for Mai."_

The housekeeper let Emiko into the foyer and then led the perfectly made up, well dressed woman down the hall. Akira rushed out of the dining room and greeted her friend, taking her hand and tugging her into the dining room. "It's wonderful to see you, Emiko. Sit; the tea is ready."

Mai wondered if perhaps her mother had forgotten about her. She stood up and as silently as she could, glided out of the sitting room. Just as she was about to mount the stairs, Akira's voice deflated her slim hope.

"Mai, Mrs. Uchida is here. Come into the dining room and join us."

"Damn." Mai cursed under her breath and walked with leaden feet back the way she had come. She pulled her mouth into a barely there smile and bowed to Emiko. "Good afternoon," she said dully.

"As cheery as ever, I see," the woman replied derisively. "Goodness, Mai, can't you put on a proper smile."

The girl wasn't going to let that go. "Maybe when I have something to smile about." Her voice held just a hint of combativeness and her pale gold eyes met Emiko's head on.

"Well, now you're being rude and ungrateful. I hope you realize just how unhappy you make your mother." Emiko glared at Mai and then shot Akira a sympathetic look. "Sometimes it happens, Akira. Some children are born contrary and never fit in. I think you have one of those children. I hope for your sake that Tom-Tom is not."

Mai shoved her hands into her wide sleeves and made tight fists. It helped dispel the urge to punch Emiko, make that stupid look on her face go away.

Akira gave the woman a weak smile and poured the tea. "Oh, I'm sure that Tom-Tom will make us proud. Mai has yet to settle into her role as a young noblewoman, but in time I'm confident that she will."

"Mmm," Emiko hummed doubtfully as she took a sip of her green tea with lemon. "We'll see."

"She started Madam Suzumi's haiku class just this morning. I think she needed something to do. Isn't that right, Mai?" Akira's eyes were practically begging Mai to say something appropriate.

"Oh, I'm here now,_ am_ I?" She looked pointedly at her mother who gave her a narrow eyed glare back. "I don't need haiku class. What's the point?"

Their guest put on an especially smug expression. "My daughter, Kinue, took that class a few years ago. She absolutely loved it and composed the most beautiful haikus. Now she's successfully married and expecting her first child."

"Like I said," Mai shrugged, "what's the point?"

The two adults were getting angry now; Mai could see it in the way their postures changed. She really didn't care, however, and let her remark hang there while she sipped her own tea and nabbed a biscuit.

"Perhaps you could recite a haiku for us, Mai, one you wrote this morning." Akira was grasping now, trying to save face somehow and hoping that her daughter would do it for her.

Emiko raked her eyes over Mai's slender form and wondered what the girl would do. Part of her wanted a disaster. It would make her feel even better about her own daughter. And part of her felt sorry for Akira, hoped that Mai would for once simply do what any good daughter would, what Kinue would have.

Taking a moment to think, and to count out her syllables, Mai composed one on the spot.

_Pretty, empty world__  
>All that is said…meaningless<br>I yearn for freedom_

Mai's mother looked_ so_ disappointed and for the briefest of moments, the girl felt the tiniest twinge of guilt. After Akira's disappointment came Akira's anger.

"Get upstairs to your room and don't come back down until breakfast tomorrow." The words were sharp and clipped and the tone was icy cold.

Mai got up from her seat, reached over and took three more biscuits before bowing to Emiko and sauntering up to her room. Her mother's mortified words drifted up the staircase after her. Emiko's deliberately loud suggestion followed her too and it made her blanch.

"Maybe you need to send her away; or perhaps Hoshi could get a posting in the Earth Kingdom colonies. Mai might finally come to appreciate what she has here. And when she comes back, maybe, just maybe, she'll be the daughter you want."

Once her door was locked, Mai dropped down on to her bed with a thump. Much as she hated her situation, the thought of pulling up stakes and moving to the Earth Kingdom was even worse. Unless, she thought with a smile, she was lucky enough to run into Zuko. The chances were slim or less, but it would be something to hang on to. Mai was good at that; living her life around one or two hopes, nothing more substantial than that.

* * *

><p>Mai ended up falling asleep again and by the time she woke, it was dark outside. The darkness made her smile and she threw her all her shutters open, allowing the cooler evening breeze easy entrance. The sky was beautiful, an almost full moon dominating it with its yellowy glow. She took a few deep breaths of moist air, it felt as though it might rain, and then decided to write. After lighting her lamp with spark rocks, she sat down at her desk, pulled out her writing supplies and picked up her brush, not ready yet to dip it in the ink. Haiku couldn't just flow like free verse could; there was a distinct structure that it needed to follow and that required an extra bit of thought.<p>

"Zuko," she murmured to herself and brought up the last image of him she had.

A few days before the Agni Kai that had changed everything, Mai had visited the palace. Zuko had been confident and they had sat together holding hands, not talking much, they never really did. He had been thirteen and full of life, hope for the future. His eyes had shone with something that he seemed to reserve for Mai. Those eyes always made her feel special. But when they looked off into the distance, often they were sad and that saddened Mai in turn.

It was Azula who had ordered her over, not Zuko. _All_ her meetings with the prince over the first few months of her 'friendship' with Princess Azula had been chance. But those chance meetings had planted the seeds for something greater. Soon there were deliberately stolen moments, then hours and their strange relationship had flowered into something quite special.

After two years apart, the loss Mai felt had not lessened. She ached for Zuko as much now as she had then, when he was first banished from his own nation, sent out into the world to search for the last remaining aribender, the Avatar. She sighed and swiped at the moisture in her eyes. Getting the paper wet would not do her any good.

She thought about those eyes; they were beautiful and Mai had always felt that she could lose herself in them. Dipping her brush she formed her characters, counting out syllables as she went.

_Eyes of purest gold_

_When I look, I fall in deep_

_Swim in their sad depths_

There was no way she would take that to class the next day. It was too personal, too painful and something just for her.

_Please come back to me_

_My frozen heart longs for you_

_Don't take forever_

They came fast and furious now. Mai had found an outlet, a way to express her buried feelings, capture them in three short lines so that she could see them in black on white, so bold, so stark, suddenly so real.

_Will you know me still?_

Mai's lip began to quiver and she felt tears form in her eyes again.

_Will you be forever changed?_

_Could we start again?_

She got up for a moment and went to stand by the window again, everything suddenly too much for her.

"Sorry, Zuko, but I need to think about something else now."

Moving aside the paper so it could dry, she got another sheet and smoothed it out; time to have some fun. She thought about the girls in her class, how shallow they were or were raised to be, and the venom dripped off her brush.

_Makeup and ribbons_

_Nauseating chatter, Ugh_

_Can I kill them please?_

* * *

><p><em>Empty headed dolls<em>

_Just waiting to get married_

_I want to vomit_

She giggled quietly and imagined reciting those lines in class. The look on Madam Suzumi's face would almost be worth the trouble she would be in. Mai wondered if any of the students would even understand who or what she was writing about. "Probably not," Mai snorted. Her mother came to mind next and the woman's motivation for sending Mai to the ridiculous class.

_Just why am I here?_

_Mother wants to waste my time_

_Make me a lady_

"I'll never be what you consider a lady, Mother," Mai said softly. "I don't fit."

Finally, she contemplated her knives. They were so important to her; literally, they had carved out a fragile sense of identity for Mai. Those beautiful, sharp, deadly weapons were almost a part of her, a part that she wouldn't give up for anything.

_I hold it up high_

_Flashes of light break the dark_

_Cold, hard, sharp, steel; blade_

That was the one she would bring to class tomorrow. Satisfied, Mai set the paper aside, blew out the light and sat in the dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Haiku School of the Damned**

**Part 3: Fallout**

Mai's mother gave her the silent treatment at breakfast the next morning, though she _did_ sneak glances at her daughter and seemed pleased to see the scroll resting on the table near Mai's place setting. For his part, Hoshi shook his head and then swallowed a mouthful of rice before shaking his head again. Obviously, Akira had given him the details of their tea with Emiko. He was angry and disappointed but that was nothing new.

Mai was blasé about most things, her parents among them, but still, she felt the crushing weight of their looks and their bitterness. She kept her face impassive and ate her food; there had been no dinner the night before and Mai was not risking missing breakfast too. Once she had taken a few bites, her stomach seemed to cry out for more. She obliged, reaching for the large tray of beautifully sliced fruit that sat in the centre of the table. Akira made a clicking sort of noise with her tongue as if disapproving of her daughter's appetite.

"What?" Mai sniped. "No dinner will do that to someone."

"If you had behaved better, you would have gotten dinner,' Hoshi reminded the girl. "The idea of sending you somewhere is starting to sound appealing. Perhaps you need a change of scenery before you will appreciate all that you have."

"I don't want a change of scenery. I want to be left alone. How hard can that be?" Mai lifted her hand to her mouth and meticulously licked the sticky fruit essence off each finger.

Hoshi stood up from his seat, threw his napkin angrily onto the table and shouted. "Being alone will not get you married. You cannot find a suitable young man while holed up in your room. You're a young lady, Mai, who should be thinking about her future." His face had turned an almost purplish colour and Akira stood up too, putting a restraining hand on his arm. Mai's father jerked it away violently. He did not want his wife's comfort now. "Throwing those stupid knives and pining for a prince who disgraced himself shamelessly will not help you. Do you understand? Your future, Mai, don't you care?"

Odd how one night time session composing haiku had swiftly trained Mai's mind to reduce her thoughts to seventeen syllables. She wouldn't speak the haiku aloud but merely thinking it calmed her inner turmoil and the rage that she felt.

_Anger surrounds me_

_Red face spews bitterness_

_One day he'll explode_

The violent image of an exploding parent amused Mai. Her thin lips quirked upward into the tiniest beginnings of a smirk. Akira caught it, though, and left her spot at the table, striding purposefully toward her daughter. She yanked at Mai's elbow, pulling her up from her seat.

The woman's mouth opened and closed like that of a fish out of water. She was simply at a loss for words. Everything had been said before. The two years since Prince Zuko's banishment had been especially trying and Mai had withdrawn into herself almost completely. When she did speak it was with dark cynicism, biting sarcasm or the deepest boredom. She was miserable, gloomy and depressing to be around, not exactly the most enticing prospect for the young noble men of marrying age. Akira wanted to shake Mai and then shake her again and again until some sense finally crept its way into the girl's brain. But she resisted the urge, just barely, and resigned herself to staring coldly at Mai then sending her off to class.

* * *

><p>Mai was actually glad to get out of the house. She snatched up her haiku and ambled out the door, not wanting to give away just how relieved she was to be going. The sunshine was blinding and she put a hand up to cover her eyes as she walked. Part way to Madam Suzumi's School for Fine Ladies she fell in behind some of her classmates. They walked as a little group, chattering happily about their future husbands and the wonderful lives they would have as the wives of influential noblemen.<p>

Occasionally their talk turned to the latest romance story they had all read or a production they had all seen. The young women discussed their clothes, what they planned to wear to the next dinner party held by their parents and their hairstyles. It was all nauseating and Mai had heard the same thing in different variations from her mother and _her _friends.

But there was a part of Mai that envied the girls their seeming contentment, their easy acceptance of the lives that had been mapped out for them since birth. And they had each other, though Mai suspected that the relationships were shallow, borne from being in the same social circles rather than any real like for each other. Most of Mai's conversations were held with herself or her knives. She couldn't talk with Princess Azula. Her idea of conversation was ordering people about. And Ty Lee, though sweet, sometimes simply didn't get things.

When the girls finally noticed Mai, close to the school, they whispered amongst themselves, pointing back at the black haired girl, making it their mission to center her out. Mai felt her cheeks burn hot and then felt the slower burn of anger rise from the pit of her stomach and spread throughout her body. The hands that rested inside the wide sleeves of her red tunic clenched and unclenched. What was with this urge to hit that had overcome her lately? Wouldn't _that _make Mother and Father proud? An act like that would guarantee her a ticket to the Earth Kingdom colonies or to some far flung town in her own country. Maybe that would be better. What was the future for her here anyway; years of the same until she finally gave in and wed whatever nobleman hadn't been chosen already? Maybe she would end up like Madam Suzumi; except she would teach the art of knife throwing rather than haiku. That wouldn't be so bad if her students were actually interested in the skill.

She could always run away and search for Zuko. That was something she fantasized about each and every night. It didn't matter that two long years had passed since the prince had left on his quest. "Quest," Mai muttered under her breath. That was a joke. The search for the Avatar was more like a good way to keep Zuko out of the Fire Nation and out of the way for ever. Azula had certainly been pleased to see her brother go and was even more pleased that he had yet to return.

In her fantasies, her reunion with Zuko was awkward but sweet and after just a few minutes together it was as if they had never been apart. She wondered now as she often did whether that fantasy would ever become reality. Some day she would need to let go, but it wouldn't be today or tomorrow or anytime soon.

Mai's reverie took her as far as the school and she found that her anger had dissipated. The girls weren't bothering with her anymore and for that she was grateful. She walked inside and took her seat, slipping the scroll from inside her sleeve and placing it on her table.

"Good morning, girls." Madam Suzumi smiled brightly at the classroom full of impeccably groomed young ladies. "I hope you were all successful with your haiku yesterday. Our first order of business is to have every one of you read your haiku aloud to the class."

Mai was expecting that and was fine with it. She was actually proud of her work and proud of the subject matter. Madam Suzumi might not like the fact that her haiku was about knives but Mai really didn't care. She had fulfilled the requirements. If the teacher wanted to chastise her so be it.

The recitations began. Mai listened to haiku about jewelry, flowers, and boys. That was the sum total of the subject matter. When it came time for Mai to read hers she stood up as the other girls had and unrolled her scroll. Subtly clearing her throat she began.

* * *

><p>Akira was still upset about the afternoon before. She finished her breakfast with Hoshi, and then escorted him to the door as he left for an important meeting at the palace.<p>

"Please, don't let the little incident with Mai ruin your chances to advance, dear." She ran a hand up and down his arm, trying to calm herself as much as she was trying to calm her husband. "You've worked so hard the past few months."

Hoshi put his hand on top of hers briefly, a show of solidarity, and then gave her a quick, dry peck on the cheek. "I'm still convinced that everything will work out. And Mai's foolishness will not ruin_ anything_ for me. Goodbye, Akira."

After closing the door behind him, Akira went into the kitchen and gave her instructions for lunch and for dinner. Hoshi had very specific likes and dislikes and Akira had always made sure that his needs were met. Once she was certain that the cook understood she wandered upstairs.

Haruka was in the nursery with Tom-Tom. He was still too young to join them for breakfast so ate either before or after in the kitchen.

"You can take him down now, Haruka. We're finished in the dining room. I'll join you in a little bit." Akira gave Tom-Tom a smile and kissed his forehead.

"As you wish, ma'am," Haruka replied. She picked up the boy giving what little dark hair he had an affectionate ruffle, and headed downstairs.

Still thinking about Mai and the disastrous tea of the previous day, Akira walked along the hallway to her rooms. She passed _Mai's_ and the closed door seemed to mock her. Mai was always adamant about keeping everyone out. She even tidied the room herself. It was, in fact, extraordinarily neat, with everything in its place. If Akira decided to snoop and wanted to keep it secret, she had better be smart about it. With a heavy sigh, she opened Mai's door and stepped into the room.

Nothing was out of the ordinary. The bed was made, red pillows sitting neatly against the dark wood of the headboard and the vanity was cleared of everything but a tiny jewelry box and a bottle of scent. Akira went to the huge window that took up the space of an entire wall and pulled back one of the shutters. The view of the palace was spectacular. She was proud to live so close to the seat of power, the building where all the important decisions that affected the nation and often the world were made. One's social status increased the closer you lived to the palace after all. But in a rare moment of putting herself in her daughter's shoes, Akira wondered whether the view upset or comforted Mai. It was painfully obvious that Mai's infatuation with the banished prince had not lessoned one bit. If anything, it had gotten stronger. And that worried Akira. Hanging on to that which was hopeless could only bring pain both for Mai and for the family.

Moving on to the desk, she let her eyes skirt across the surface. Again there was nothing strange. She opened a drawer then and pulled out some scrolls. Her heart beat a bit faster as she unrolled first one and then the other.

"Oh, Mai," she breathed and shook her head.

The girl's love for the prince had most definitely not waned. The haikus dedicated to him, it had to be him, were full of pain and longing. Akira wasn't the most empathetic person in the world, but even her heart ached. This obsession Mai had needed to stop. But Akira wasn't quite sure how to make that happen.

She left the room, taking the scrolls with her. When Mai came home, the two of them would have a chat. With any luck she could talk some sense into her daughter.

* * *

><p><em>I hold it up high<em>

_Flashes of light break the dark_

_Cold, hard, sharp, steel; blade_

Mai sat down again and glanced about the room. No one was laughing at least. Madame Suzumi's face bore a thoughtful expression and she took her time before speaking.

"Though the subject matter is a trifle odd for a young lady, your haiku is quite eloquent, Mai, and rather moving in its own way. Well done. I think that you may have an aptitude for poetry."

The young woman was shocked. Though she was herself satisfied with the work, she had expected the instructor to criticize everything, to not look beyond the fact that the haiku was about a knife. And proper young noble ladies did not admire bladed weapons.

A murmur travelled through the classroom, spreading like a virus from one girl to the next. They all turned to look at Mai, this time with envy and even greater dislike.

'Agni, I can't win,' Mai thought and gave the girls an exaggerated, nasty sort of smile.

They turned their backs on her again.

* * *

><p>Mai took her time walking home. She purposely made several wrong turns in order to avoid the girls from her class. But it was warm out and the sun was still bright and blinding. She began to long for the coolness and privacy of her bedroom and decided to hurry along after all. When Mai encountered her mother pacing the front foyer, scrolls in her hand, her narrow eyes got instantly narrower and that pulsing anger flooded her body again. Though Akira said nothing, Mai knew that the scrolls came from her desk, her room, her sanctuary.<p>

"You searched my room," the girl spat out accusingly. "How dare you?" Mai's whole body trembled now and she stalked toward her mother, snatching the scrolls out of her hands. "Those are private."

Akira took a deep breath. She was determined to maintain calm. "I worry about you, Mai. I worry that you'll never find your place. You need to move forward and forget about Prince Zuko."

"You worry about yourself and your reputation, not about me, not about what I want for myself."

Mai's eyes practically blazed with fury and Akira instinctively took a step backward. Never had she seen Mai so incensed.

"Certainly I worry about all that," the woman acknowledged. "But I do worry about you too. You're my daughter, after all. How can you think I don't care?" Akira was smoothing her robes nervously and gazed about the foyer. She hoped that none of the servants had heard anything. "Let's take this into the sitting room. We can shut the door and have some privacy."

"Privacy?" Mai snorted. "_Now_ you care about privacy? I say we share everything with the servants. Nothing is sacred after all. Perhaps they have a right to know."

"Stop it," Akira hissed. "It's not the same thing and you know that very well. You're twisting everything to make me look bad."

"I don't need to twist things to do that." Mai laughed then and it was a terrible sound. And when she spoke again, her voice was steady and sure. "I will _not _forget Zuko. I will _not_ give up my knives. Send me away. Do what you need to do. I don't care."

She stomped by her mother, not bothering to look at the woman's face and ran up the stairs to her room. After she bolted the door shut, Mai rushed to her desk and pulled out paper and ink. She was boiling over with emotions and _needed_ to put them somewhere.

_Something is burning_

_Red, hot, bubbling inside me_

_So hard to let out_

She scribbled furiously, not caring about the neatness of her characters or any mess she might make.

_Two years, forever_

_I imagine where you are_

_When I go to sleep_

* * *

><p><em>Sparks where you touched me<em>

_Our connection cannot break_

_Forever as one_

She was weeping now; the scalding, salty tears streaming down her cheeks stung the tender skin there. Mai didn't bother to wipe them away. They pattered down onto the paper, blending with the damp black ink, making tiny diluted black puddles. Still she wrote.

_Is the world so big?_

_Enough to keep you hidden_

_Where are you, Zuko?_

She wrote until she was completely spent and then curled up on her bed. Her eyes would be red and puffy the next day. The girls in her class would notice. They would point and they would laugh. But Mai didn't care. She had something that they didn't. She had something that her mother and father could not take away no matter how they tried. Mai had a hope for her future, a dream. It might be a near impossible one but in her darkest moments it shed the tiniest bit of light.

* * *

><p>AN: Kimberly T. made a point of mentioning in her review that mothers do indeed snoop in the bedrooms of their children. I seem to recall a few incidents of that myself and the embarrassing and miserable sort of fallout. It made good sense to have Akira poke around in Mai's room.

I originally intended for this story to be comedic. (Yeah, not so much.) But it seemed to change as I wrote and I couldn't control it. I do intend to write a light hearted sort of epilogue set in the future, post war, with Mai and Zuko together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Haiku School of the Damned **

**Part 4: Final Day**

After her triumph of sorts, Mai took her haiku class in stride. She constructed her poems with pride and didn't care what the other girls thought or felt about her expressions. Living in her own world was certainly nothing new to Mai and so she took her isolation in the classroom with a shrug; it was insignificant, didn't matter anymore if it ever had.

On the final day, Madam Suzumi held a competition of sorts. Every student, despite the feeble protests from some, would make up haiku spontaneously, one at a time, until someone made a mistake. That student would then be eliminated. The process would continue until one poet stood by herself at the front of the classroom.

"Great," Mai intoned. She considered purposely producing an error and then watching from the sidelines, but then wondered why. Why should she hide any ability she might have simply because she didn't fit? No, she would do her best and see what happened. Let the perfect little girls snicker and nudge each other all they wanted.

"Stand up everyone," the instructor ordered. She was wearing even more elegant robes than usual as if this last class was somehow worthy of dressing up for. "When you're out, sit back down. You can compose a haiku about whatever you wish, as long as it isn't inappropriate." Her gaze rested on Mai longer than on the other girls. Mai examined her black lacquered nails and made up her first haiku right then and there.

"Emiko, you're first." Madam Suzumi pointed to a pretty girl in the middle of the room. She got red in the face and stammered for a moment before finally muttering something.

_Bird in the blue sky_

_It flies, oh so very high_

_I really like birds_

"Very good,' the instructor said, a pleased smile on her face. She paced about the room, her hands linked neatly in front of her abdomen, moving from student to student, letting her intelligent eyes rest on each and every one of them.

One by one, the girls took their turns, leaving Mai second to last, two students already eliminated. "All right, Mai, you're up."

_Some call them black claws_

_Ready to rip, tear and hurt,_

_I simply like them_

"Um, interesting, Mai. Okay, Misa, you're last this round."

The eager girl, always keen to please, always keen to be noticed, thought for just a moment. Then she tossed her head and her fine brown hair rippled luxuriously, its sheen catching the bright light from one of the windows. Mai wanted to throw up, but managed to restrain herself.

_Brown eyes, pretty face_

_Madam Suzumi is great_

_Best teacher ever_

Misa looked smugly at Mai and crossed her arms under her tiny breasts. 'Ha, beat that,' her expression seemed to say. 'And mine complimented teacher as well.' With a roll of her eyes, Mai crossed her arms too; she accepted the challenge that Misa presented and she would beat the little transparent suck up too.

Nine girls became six girls. Six girls became three and then only Mai and Misa stood. It was painfully clear where the class's loyalties lay. Each time Misa composed a haiku successfully there was an audible sigh of relief and smiles on all the faces. When Mai succeeded, everyone frowned and a murmur of discontent made its way through the rows of girls. That only made Mai more determined than ever to deflate the puffed-up girl and to erase the condescending look from Misa's face, at least temporarily. The dark part of Mai, very dark, imagined wiping her face clean of that expression permanently.

Mai composed each of her haiku while it was Misa's turn and the other girl was busy thinking. She didn't have to pause. Hers were ready and she recited them with confidence.

_I watched the ship leave_

_Ache in my heart always there_

_I'll watch it return _

That one veered dangerously close to personal territory; actually, it didn't veer, it was right in the midst of personal territory and for some reason Mai no longer cared. Perhaps that was because this class was the final one, and she might never see these young women again. That thought alone made her lips quirk upward in a slight smile.

Misa went next.

_The finest red silks_

_The prettiest gold and jewels_

_I deserve them all_

Mai's eyes narrowed. She was self absorbed and preening, but the girl was pretty good. Mai still figured that _she_ could do better.

_Velvety soft dark_

_I love when it surrounds me_

_I can disappear_

The competition dragged on and on, neither girl making a mistake and the end of class time drawing near. With only a few minutes left, Madam Suzumi called everyone to order. "This is what I propose to do. Mai and Misa will each make up one final haiku. If neither makes an error, I will decide which one I think is best. _That_ haiku will win."

'That's it then,' Mai thought. 'She certainly won't choose mine.' With a sigh, she folded her hands together and slouched just a little bit.

"Misa, you go first."

_Handsome and smart too_

_One day I will marry him_

_I will be happy_

'Hah,' Mai thought. 'Maybe she _will_ pick mine after all.'

"Go ahead, Mai," Madam Suzumi reminded her sternly.

_Painful memory_

_I treasure it anyway_

_Hold it tight and close_

The girls erupted into loud chatter which the teacher immediately silenced with a raised hand. "Let me make my decision." It took her only a moment and when the woman smiled at Misa, Mai assumed that she herself was the loser. She was wrong and when Madam Suzumi called her name and declared her haiku inspired, Mai almost toppled over.

"You should be proud, Mai. You've done very, very well."

Suzumi pulled a scroll from the depths of her desk, took out her ink and brush and wrote. After it was dry, she handed it to Mai with a warm smile.

_This certificate declares that __**Mai**__ is the winner of the Haiku Challenge_

_Madam Suzumi's School for Fine Ladies_

_Capitol City, Fire Nation_

'I wonder what Mother will think,' Mai mused as she sped home, leaving the other girls far behind. It was just a silly certificate and a silly competition for a silly class, but Mai was elated nevertheless. She hummed a nameless tune under her breath and didn't bother trying to restrain her look of happiness.

When she entered the house, silence greeted her. Then she recalled that it was the servants' day off. Mai finally found her mother up in the nursery spending time with Tom-Tom.

"Here," Mai said dully and thrust the certificate into Akira's lap.

The woman gave Tom-Tom's head a rub before unrolling the scroll. Her eyes scanned the words and Mai was almost certain that she saw at least the beginnings of a smile on her face.

"That's a surprise," Akira declared. "But I'm pleased and you should be too. Was the class so bad after all?"

"Yes, it was, but I _have_ come to enjoy haiku. I guess you know that already." Mai was not subtle in her reference to Akira's snooping.

"Mmm, I guess that I do. One day you'll be glad that you took the class, Mai." Akira handed Tom-Tom a toy. She beamed brightly at the toddler and he gave her an answering laugh that could melt the heart of even the coldest soul.

"Maybe, maybe not; what does it matter?" She turned to leave, but Akira caught hold of her sleeve.

"Why don't you sit for a few minutes? Your_ brother_ might like to spend a bit of time with you."

As if he understood, the little boy cooed and gurgled happily, making his way over to Mai and clinging stubbornly to her robes.

"Just for a minute," Mai conceded and picked the boy up. "Don't let Mom enroll you in any stupid classes," she advised, tickling the little boy's ear with her whisper.

Tom-Tom laughed again and reached for Mai's tempting hair, tugging with that surprising strength.

"Brat," she declared, but her tone was affectionate.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

_**Fire Nation Palace, two years later**_

"What's in these boxes?" Zuko asked curiously. They were in Mai's room, the one in her parents' home, the one they had first made love in and the one she was now leaving behind forever.

Mai stared at the objects in question and thought for a moment. "I don't remember, Mr. Fire Lord. Why don't you open them?" She watched as her fiancé, dressed in casual attire, but filled with a newfound confidence and sense of purpose, tore the lid off and poked around inside. He pulled out a few scrolls, unrolled them and began to read.

_Eyes of purest gold_

_When I look, I fall in deep_

_Swim in their sad depths_

"Oh, for Agni's sake, give me those," Mai demanded almost harshly, memories of that haiku class two years in the past coming back all too clearly. "They're stupid."

"You wrote these about me, when I was gone." Zuko's voice was soft and reverent and when he looked up at Mai his eyes, those eyes of purest gold, were full of tears.

"Yeah," Mai admitted grudgingly. "I guess I kind of missed you." Her cheeks had turned a becoming shade of pink and her eyes shone with emotions much stronger than what her voice conveyed.

Zuko reached out and cupped her cheek, running his thumb along the sharp ledge of bone. "I kind of missed you too."

* * *

><p>Sokka, Katara, Toph and Aang lounged about a sitting room in the Fire Nation palace. They were visiting their favorite Fire Lord and his fiancée, and making themselves very, very comfortable.<p>

"Say, you got any food?" the Water Tribesman asked as he clutched his grumbling stomach. "I'm feeling just a little bit hungry."

"Yeah, the kitchen is full of it, Sokka. Help yourself." Zuko was pacing about the room, and was obviously concerned about something.

"She already said 'yes', didn't she?" Toph asked. "You're marrying Mai in a few weeks, you're the Fire Lord and we've had peace for half a year. What's your problem, Grumpy?" She chuckled then and folded her hands behind her head before leaning back against the sofa.

"He's always worried about something," Sokka reminded everyone. "Biggest worry wart _ever_."

"Don't you have some food to steal?" the Fire Lord barked. He ran hands through his loose hair and frowned.

Aang caught his firebending sifu's eye and flashed him a huge grin. "It's okay, Zuko. We're all here to help and support you. That's what friends are for. So what's bothering you?"

"You have to promise not to laugh," Zuko whispered and looked about the room as if he expected someone to jump out of a closet or spring up from behind the sofa.

"That's the kiss of death right there," Toph laughed heartily. "Spill it!"

"All right, all right; I found out that while I was banished, Mai took this haiku class and she wrote some about me. And they're good, really good. So, I decided to write some for her. I'm not sure how great they are. Maybe you guys could listen?"

Sokka stroked his chin, fondling the pitiful amount of stubble that grew there. "I know a little something about haiku. In fact, when we were in Ba Sing Se…"

"We've all heard the story," Katara cut her brother off. "And it's not that interesting."

Toph guffawed while Sokka looked positively stricken.

"Come on, Grumpy, give us what you've got." The earthbender turned to face the Fire Lord with her sightless eyes and grinned. "We can't wait."

"O, okay." Zuko cleared his throat nervously and then cleared it again.

_Hair of black, noble, pure  
>You saved my life, that's for sure<em>

Sokka snorted and Toph let out a booming laugh. Zuko glared at both of them until they stopped.

_Do you forgive me?_

_Mai, you are pretty_

"No kidding," Katara smirked.

Zuko's fists were tight at his sides now and his jaw clenched and unclenched over and over until he began again.

_And you throw knives really well_

_Stay with me always_

* * *

><p><em>Clean, your skin smells good<em>

Even Aang was smiling now while Toph laughed hysterically, banging her feet up and down on the table and punching the sofa with her own fists.

"I'm glad you all find me so Agni damned amusing," Zuko cussed. "You know a little support would be nice. And I didn't finish the last one."

"But they're awful," Toph shrieked. "Face it, Grumpy, you may be the Fire Lord and a great bender but you are no poet."

"Well," a gravelly, sensuous voice said from the doorway, "I think they're sweet."

Mai swept into the room, her red robes flowing regally behind her as she strode purposefully toward her fiancé. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him slow and deep. No one was laughing any longer. In fact, it was as if the entire room held its breath.

"Thank you," she said, softly enough that only Zuko and maybe Toph could hear.

The Fire Lord wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close. "You're welcome," he whispered back. "I meant every word."

Though the room was full of their friends, it was just the two of them now. And as Mai put her head against Zuko's chest she recalled those haiku she had penned two years earlier. All that longing, all that pain and yet here she was, safe in her lover's arms. Her faith had been rewarded.


End file.
